Who doesn't love a good crumble?! A really good crumble is a beautiful thing, it needs to have a sweet crumbly topping with a little bit of crunch and the filling needs to be bubbling with sweet fruit. This spiced pear crumble is all of those things. Sweet, spiced pears in a rich caramel-like sauce. Topped with a sweet buttery crumble with the addition of some toasted almonds for that extra crunch.
I don't bake a lot but when I do crumbles are my favourite thing to make. They are so easy to make and it's hard to get it wrong. There is something really cosy and comforting about a warm crumble. Maybe it's because they are so warming and maybe it's that warmth with the cold ice cream. One thing is for sure, they are always popular in my house. And they are a great way to use up fruit which is looking a little worse for wear. This pear crumble is a real treat, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
How to Make Spiced Pear Crumble:
First preheat your oven, next make that crumble topping. I don't use a food processor for this pear crumble but you can if you prefer. So using your fingertips rub the butter into the flour and sugar. You want the texture to be like breadcrumbs, rough breadcrumbs. Then stir in those toasted almonds. Keep the topping in the fridge until the pears are ready.
Melt the butter in a skillet then add the spices, I use mixed spice and cinnamon. If you are not familiar with mixed spice please see the recipe notes. Cooking the pears slightly in that caramel-like sauce and spices makes this pear crumble a little bit extra special. So I wouldn't skip that part. Once the pears are covered in that sauce top them with the crumble mixture and bake until golden. We love to have this pear crumble warm with some very good vanilla ice cream.
Can I Freeze This Pear Crumble?
Yes, you can. However, if you want to freeze it you will need to bake it in a pie dish. It will keep in the freezer for one month. Pop the pie dish into a freezer bag or wrap in freezer-friendly film or beeswax wrappers. Bake from frozen in a preheated oven at 190 degrees C/ 374F until golden and bubbling.
Can I Make This Pear Crumble Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make the crumble topping ahead of time, make the topping and keep it in the fridge for up to two days before baking. Or you can freeze the topping and add that to the filling when you are ready to use it.
Spiced Pear Crumble with Almonds
Ingredients
for the crumble topping
- 180 g plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 80 g light Muscovado sugar
- 80 g cold butter cut into cubes
- 40 g flaked almonds toasted
for the spiced pear filling
- 700 g ripe pears (5 medium pears) peeled and core removed
- 45 g butter
- 40 g soft light brown sugar
- ½ level tsp mixed spice
- ¼ level tsp cinnamon
- 1 level tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C / 374 F. I use a fan assisted electric oven please adjust the temperature according to your own oven.Toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan tossing all the time until they are golden.
- Add the flour, butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour and sugar mix until you have a rough breadcrumb texture. Stir in the almonds. Then place the bowl in the fridge.
- Heat 45g of butter in a 25cm / 10 inch cast iron skillet, swirling all the time. Once the butter has melted and is bubbling add the spices, stir well. Now add the pears and the soft light brown sugar. Carefully mix well.When the liquid is bubbling around the pears, sprinkle the cornflour over the pears and mix well again.
- Turn off the heat then take the crumble mixture out of the fridge. Sprinkle all of the crumble over the pears. Place the skillet on the middle shelf in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes turning the skillet around halfway through cooking. The crumble is done when the topping is golden, the juice is bubbling and the pears are tender.
- Serve warm with ice cream or cream.
Notes
- Calories are approximate
- I used a cast iron skillet to make this however if you don't have one any oven-safe pan will do. Alternatively, you can cook the pears in a pan and transfer to a pie dish.
- If you don't like almonds you could swap them for hazelnuts. If you have a nut allergy then you can omit the almonds altogether, they crumble will still taste great.
- To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free flour, but please be aware I have not tested this using gluten-free flour.
- If you want to make this vegan, then you could sub the butter for your favourite vegan butter. Again I have not tested this using vegan butter.
- Mixed spice is a blend of spices. It usually consists of a mixture of ground allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, ground cloves and ground ginger. You should be able to find it in your supermarket in the spice section. If not you can buy it online. If you want to make your own this is a good recipe to get started with https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/181605/mixed-spice
Nutrition
More sweet treats:
- Black Cherry Chocolate Brownies
- Chocolate Covered Stuffed Dates
- Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips & Walnuts
- Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Rhubarb and Ginger Tarts
Linda
For those of us in the US, we need the amounts translated into cups, etc. Sounds delish, but not happening. Sorry
Michelle Alston
Hi Linda, I am in the process of updating some of my older recipes to include cup measurements for my US readers. I should have this recipe converted in the next week or so. If you like I can email you when it's done? Best wishes, Michelle
Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life
This looks amazing and I love how simple it is to make! We have an amazing pear and apple season here in Oregon's Willamette Valley so I'll definitely be tucking this little gem of a recipe away for this fall.
Julie
Pear is SUCH an underrated fruit for desserts, but it's one of my absolutely favorites. We love all things almond here, too; can't wait to give this a try!
Amanda Mason
Ok, yum!! I've never had pear crumble before! It's always been apple!! Loving the tips you provide! I'll be making this soon!
Michelle Alston
Thanks Amanda, I hope you enjoy it x
Natalie
I'm such a huge fan of crumble desserts. I bake crumble throughout the whole year with all different kinds of fruits. Never tried crumble with pear thou. I must give it a try asap. Sounds delicious.
Andrea
I love the sound of pear crumble! Why haven’t I thought about this before?! Can’t wait to give it a try!
Sharon
This is a lovely dessert! Perfect for the Spring holidays or just for a nice weekend treat.
Tammy
Such a beautiful crumble for the warmer weather. I love making fruit desserts for spring and this one is getting saved for later. Beautiful photos too 🙂
Michelle Alston
Thank you so much Tammy x
Veena Azmanov
Lovely and easy and delicious too. Can make it for my family this weekend. Lovely combination of ingredients to it.
Krista Price
Everything about this sounds and looks delicious. Warm crumbles and vanilla ice cream are a match made in heaven! I can't wait to try this recipe!
Anna
Crumble is a must in our house, we normally have it on Sunday, after our roast! Your version looks so delicious, the combination of pear with all the spices is sooooo good! Gorgeous photos, as always!
Michelle Alston
Thank you so much Anna x You really can't go wrong with a good crumble 😉
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
I love crumbles too! They are so easy and versatile. And any dessert I can make in my skillet is a winner for me! The pear in this one sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
Lori @ The Kitchen Whisperer
Everything about this says "YES!!! Make this over the weekend!" This looks like I need to make one and have 2 spoons - just eat it straight out of the pan with some vanilla bean ice cream!